Aeroplane.



B. T. HAMILTON. AEROPLANB.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 25,1912; 1 ,1 06,804. Patented Aug. 11, 191

B. T. HAMILTON.

AEROPLANE. APPLICATION FILED APE.25,1912.

1,1 06,804. Patented Aug. 11,1914

(SHEETS-SHEET 24 B. T. HAMILTON. AEROPLANE. APPLICATION FILED APR. 25,1912.

?WIIIIIII Patented Aug. 11, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

B. T. HAMILTON;

AEROPLANE. APPLIGATION I'IILED APR. 25,1512.

1 ,1 06,804. Patented Aug. 11, 1914.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BELTON T. HAMILTON, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

AEROPLANE.

To all whom it may concern:

.Be it known that I, BEL'ION TATTNALL HAMILTON, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Euston Buildings, George street, Euston Road, London, N. W En land, have invented certain new and usev ul Improvements in or relating to Aeroplanes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in aeroplanes and its chief object is to provide an aeroplane having automatic stabilizing or balancing means while at the same time permitting the aviator to control the aeroplane at will both as regards stabilizing and balancing and otherwise.

Combined automatic and manual stabilizing lllEtlllS have been devised in which the automatic stabilizing action is obtained by suitably connecting together various portions of the planes so that an excess pres-- sure on one portion modifies the other portion and in which the automatic action can be overcome at the will of the aviator by manipulating a control wheel or lever. These devices have, however, hitherto been open to the objection that the manual control wheel or lever is operated by the automatic stabilizing action when the stability is not being' maintained manually. This arrangcmeut is obviously open to many objections, the chief of which is that if the automatic stabilizing action is to act properly, the aviator must release his hold of the wheel or lever which must then be free to move about as detern'iined by the action of the automatic stabilizing means. 7

New ac ording to the present invention in an aeroplane the two sides of a simple or compound plane or two portions of said sides are so connected together that they are automatically deflected in opposite directions while the connection is such that the sides of the plane or portions thereof may, when desired, be deflected in opposite directions at will. by moving a lercr, hand wheel or the like in either direction from its ne tral or midposition, the said lever or hand wheel when in mid position in no way interfering with the automatic stabilizing action, thus enabling the aviator to maintainin hold on the Wheelat all times, so as to'he ready to instantly assume control when desired. A further advantage is that the aviator, while not interfering with the automane stabilizing action, can, byananipula- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 25. 1912.

Patented Aug. 11, 1914. Serial No. 693,198.

tion of the wheel or lever or accessory parts thereof, control other portions of the aeroplane, such as the engines, rudder, etc.

Another feature of this invention is the means whereby the deflection of the two sides or'portions thereof can be varied in the same direction at will, and a third feature of the invention is the combination in an aeroplane of means to produce an auxiliary head resistance on oneside of the plane with combined automatic and manual or like means for warping the plane of the kind described, for the purpose of equalizing the head resistance on the two sides 01 the plane.

Other features of this invention will be evident from the following description of one form of aeroplane constructed according to this invention.

Before, however, proceeding to describe this construction it will be as'well briefly to review existing practice in the construction and control of aeroplanes. In the first place an aeroplane ,must be under control in three distinct planes. (1) It must be so controlled as to be able to be held to a vertical plane containing the axis of flight, but must at: the same time be capable at the will of the opcrator of being steered either to the left or right. (2) it must be so controlled as to be able to be held to a horizontal plane containing the axis of flight, but must at the same time be capable of being steered up or down. It must be controllable in a. vertical plane at right angles to the axis of flight in such manner as to prevent rolling or capsizing in a sidewise direction, but must at the same time be capable of being tilted sidewise at the will of the operator when steering around curves. It is clear that it is greatly desirable that the aeroplane should possess a certain degree of automatic stability tending to keep it to the axis of flight as determined by the operator, and that itshould also possess automatic side stability tending to keep it from rolling or capsizing in a sideWise direction. .Automatic directional stab lity in a vertical plane perhaps is not of great importance, and the want of such stability is not a danger. Automatic longitudinal stability in a horizontal plane is more important and is more or less successfully assured by V-ing the fore and aft planes in well known mannerf Autoniatic side stability has not up to the present been successfully accomplished. A certain degree of automatic stability in this direction may be obtained by arranging a dihedral angle between the planes, or by uptnrning the ends, or by the use of vertical tins, but the righting couple produced by such an arrangement is so small as to be insignificant in comparison with possible and probable upsetting forces.

The types of aeroplanes having fixed wings or fixed form are what may be termed one-spaced machines, that is to say. they will only travel at one fixed speed in a hori- Zontal flight path, and if more power be utilized to drive them they will rise, while if less power be used they will fall to the earth. This feature has great drawlmeks, for if we design a speedy machine, we are forced to rise from and land on the earth at. high speed, which is objectionable and dangerous necessitating strong: and bulky landing chassis, etc, while if we design for a slow speed machine, it is unsafe in the air and at the mercy of varying wind puffs. Again the type having fixed form of camber and fixed angle of incidence is subject to bounding flight in gusty wind, the machine jumping high out. of its course, if subjected to a sudden {rust of wind. or vice versa,

suddenly dropping if the velocity of wind meeting it suddenly lessens.

Means hereinafter described according to the present invention have been devised to overcome the foregoing defects. T he system of automatic stability adopted in the present invention is such that the lifting effect on each side of the machine is always instantly autoi'nati-cally balanced, no matter how the wind velocity may vary on the two sides of the machine. There is practically no moment. of inertia due to the movable parts of the device controlling the planes, therefore there is no dangerous oscillation set up during operation. Although the pres sures on the planes are autonniticall kept in balance, yet the aviator can if desired instai'itly take command of the win; warping by simple turning of a hand wheel to right or left the case may Further the same wheel moved up or down may operate the elevating planes, or if moved sidewise operate the steering planes or rudders. The ribs of the planes are made flexible, and by means of a lever situated by the side of or within easy reach of the aviator the camber or angle. of incidence may be varied as desired, giving a. variable speed ratio, with in safe limits to the machine. Thus the aeroplane may be given a slow flying slpeed for getting off the ground or for landing, and may be converted into a high speed machine while in the air. In addition to these advantages the camber and angle of incidence given is actuated through the medium of a. spring buffer of predetermined strength, in such manner that if a sudden l l l l gust of wind of increased velocity meets the aeroplane the camber and angle of incidence is automatically reduced until the Pit. are. o the planes balances the resist ance. of the spring butter and so prevems the unnerving and dangerous bounding light in which existing types of machine indulge in gusty weather.

A special feature of the stability con rol int-(ha'nism is its extreme simplicity and its applicability to practically any type of mahine, monoplane or biplane.

1 will now describe av form of aeroplane constructed according to this invention, or so much thereof as is necessary to render the invention clear.

F' 'ure 1 shows a side elevation of the aeroplane. Fig. 2 is a front elevation in part; section. Fig. a partial plan view on a smaller scale, Fig. 5 is a continuation thereof. and Figs. 4 to (3 show details of the general arrangenieins and construction of the. stability and control mechanism.

In all the views like parts are indicated by like reference letters.

The fuselage in the construction illurtrated consists priinarihv of two long trussed girders X. X arranged about 8 feet apart and parallel to each other, being held together by traverse spars and stays, each girder being fitted with lone" skid members S. On each skid member is mounted a short axle S carrying a pair of wheels S arranged in similar manner to the wheels on the Far-man type of skid. Mounted between the girder skid HlGli'llJQlS is a torpedo shaped body of stream line formation arranged to accon'nnodate the engine, fuel tanks, aviator, passenger, etc.

In thev construction illustrated the propeller Y is situated in front of the main plane, While forward and rear elevating planes f and 1' respectively (Fig. 3 and its continuation Fig. 3*) are fitted and connected together in such manner as to be op rated similarly and simultaneously by the aviator. The rear elevating plane is supplemented by a fixed plane 1' bearing no weight, of such area as to givev a certain degree of longitudinal stability in a horizontal plane. This supplemental plane is also of such disposition as to insure that, with the engine stopped and with the elevating planes in their mid or central position, the machine will descend at its natural gliding angle when falling. I

' Directional control in a horizontal plane is effected by two rear vertical planes or rudders 1) (Figs. 1 and 3) carried at the rear end of the longitudinal skid members at the tail end of the machine, and in order to prevent slewing around of the machine by side gusts and to give assi tance in turning, txed vertical panels or planes ll (Fig. l) are provided at the front ends of the tudinal members. The relative area of the front and rear vertical planes is such that under the influence of side winds their move ments about the center of gravity of the ma chine balance.-

The relative area of the front and rear ele'utors and their relative interconnected movement is such that their active moments about the center of gravity of the ma hine balance, thus, during theirv operation, relieving them of any unneces ary strain of taking any of the dead weight of the machine, and also reducing inertia and momentum etl'ects.

All the weight is'grouped as closely as possible around the center of gravity of the machine as a whole, which is also the center of pressure of the main plane, (the front and rear planes carrying no weight) in such manner that the control is as effective and quickly acting as possible and the moment of inertia is a minimum.

The main planes are set with a dihedral angle. between them and are constructed in such manner that while posseseii great strength and weight carrying capaci they are exceedingly flexible and easy to warp. This feature is accomplished by constriicting them each with a forward rigid transverse main spar A. and a rear movable spar B hinged at its inner end to the body at G (Figs. 1 and 2). To these spars are at tached upper and lower ribs m, a, forming a double surfaced plane.

The lower ribs are of ta mriing formation, and are fixed to both spars. The upper ribs are rigidly fixed to the front spar but are slidably attached to the rear movable spar, and are preferably arranged staggered in respect to the lower ribs. The upper and lower ribs are not attached to each other, so that when the planes are Warped the upper surface is free to slide slightly in respect to the lower surface, and the lower surface whatever the degree of warping assumes a circular contour in section at all points. giving a very near approximation to a true parabolic grading, and thus insuring that the center of pressure will remain practically immovable in respect to the leading edge, Whatever be the variation in curvature. or angle. of incidence oi the planes.

Outrigger spars D are attached to the said members projecting out on either side of the body beneath the main plane, to the rigid main spar A of which they are trussed and strutted (Fig. 2) forming a girder-like fo mat'on of greatstrength and lightness.

Cables; E attached to suitable points (r on the rear movable win spars B pass around pulleys H. ill on the-outrigger spars and are connected to the ends of a. chain J (Fig. :2 rnnnin;- o er a central sprocket nheel K carried in a. bearing mounted in a sliding rod L which slides in bearings 0 carried by a sliding carriage P which in turn slides upon guide rods T. In the construction shown the carriage .l is formed by tubes sliding on tired rods or frame parts T, but it is to be understood that the inventibn in-, cludes any other suitable form of sliding or adjusting mechanism.

A buffer spring ll tends to keep the sprocket wheel K in its normal position, it being of such stiffness that it is just strong enough to take the combined pull on the cables and retain the curvature of the main planes when the machine is in flight.

It Will easily be seen that if the oressure on the plane on one side of the machine exseeds the pressure of the plane of the other side, the plane subject to the excess of ressure will flatten out, decreasing its angle of incidence, but in doing so will, through the media of the cables and chain, warp down the plane on the other side, increasing its angle of incidence until the pressure is equally balanced on either sideof the machine. Thus an az'itomatic action will take place continuously with very variation of difference of pres ure on either side of the machine to balance the machine, and keep it from rolling sidewise. it will be apparent that these movements being very slight, and the weights-of the moving parts being very little, inertia eti'eets will be negligible, the large area of the planes easily damping out any tendency to oscillation or to and fro motion of the arrangement. If a sudden excess of pressure obtains simultaneously on the planes on both sides of the machine, the buffer spring gives way, both planes fiattening out. reducing their angle of incidence, and conserpiently the prme ure on them. thus pre'vei'iting bounding; flight in gusty winds.

A lthongh as previously described the machine is arranged to be automatically stable in a. lateral direction, yet a hand control for the wing warping is provided in such manner. that while with the hand wheel or lever in mid position it in no way interferes with the aforesaid automatic function, command can be ini-tantly taken if. necessary or desired.

Figs. 4 to o l1ow in detail a general ar-l rangement of the wintrol mechanism. A control column l mounted substantially horizontally and longitudinally in front of the aviator. it is mounted on trunnions 2 on a rotatable cross shaft 3 in such manner that it can be. rocked up or down or from side to side. Movement up or down is arranged to operate the elevating planes f, 9, while sidewise n. ment operates the steering rudders 12. noted rotatably on the colunni a hand eel at. which controls the manual warping oi the planes. it will be apparent that by this arrangement every control movement is absolutely natural and correct, and the machine will follow direetiy the movements made on the control eolni'nn, thus obviating any chances of male 1 ing mistakes in control operations. The ehaiu bprooket Wheel K is connected through the media of bevel wheels 5, '5, telescopic shaft 7, unive.-al joint or couplings 8 and e double-aeti iui eluteh Z to the hand Wheel, -l. This clutch Z constitutes a. very iinportai'it feature of the wing warping control Ineeh aniein, and is so designed that when the hand wheel is held in its normal or mid position the clutch is disengaged and the chain sprocket wheel free from control of the hand wheel and can move in either di reetion as the diil'erenee of pressure on the two sides of the planes varies, but it is fur-- ther contrived, that if the hand wheel he more-(l from its said mid position in either j diret-tion, the clutch engages, and the Wings may he forcibly Warped at- Will.

lhe clutch is eo!i:-'tIneted as follows P 'lili handwvheel is attached to a spindle havin formed upon it a'steep thread 9 and mount;- 1 ed upon this threaded portion is a nut l0 having its outer surface in the form of a pair of i Mine The @(illltill portions on the eylinwit part iii re arranged to he uoimali x {the ot the -lll-'.ll p rtions on the out i nheu lilo hail-l wheel i in it; mid in v i n luii' il' tin hand .iuawl he named it: t'llllt'i' r ght or in" the out ii'tli'ewling along the. liittwlt i portion o" th spindle eouzw into eiimie' iiwiit with the i: \iinilrii il pan; 3; and t the iiioi'omont ot tluhaunt whet-l iout-idly ransmitteil througl'h lllt' mu ating i and hevel gearing to Yhe chain aw-lint K to in water that the aviator may if desire-:l \ai' vihe flying rw lt'iii ol' the at iwplane. means i are lllhlidttl varying the normal euinhei and ang feinviilenve oi the main planes. The eai'i'iag'e 1 upon \vhivh is slii'lahly mounted Ii iroehet Wheel K and lb llllll tl' spring 15 in turn sliilahly mouutul onl the lmlv T, l wi'iieh form part of the aeroi plane lueelage. ant! is arraiuged to he m d t and lrrlqoii in any iumitizui in its tr m l)\ moa of the hand lei'ei' l3, working, ina qiiailraut ll. iii'tlbly diepoml mnyenieni'ly to the i-t-r. 'lheuefoie l-y raising thet low-l i l whi l: i nivoied at 13. the u'iririgm 'om niing' thil'lH and il2iw$ l rat-tying the Spl' lki wheel K and the inthough nit-ans are (i ner member of the iflfiatfGFfiiP sheii' with its bevel gearing, will h for e-gt (limit time slackening the iraliies ii. "iii therefore, fr m hie \m Ll v'iiuiur or angle of in 'idenee i h.- n in plane: wi' in c rtain pl'iii l tl'llilt i"i l', it is ti aot an.

sihle therefore h it w meat from and land on the ;,:mu'-ni at a wuiroisutia i ioiitzll i'iig'ltl 2 the we it in- :slll'iitif h "t' with i aiiwiiueftie. t

la a =5 w angle at" ineun,

in order to (fight when the mutual inis lltlll tftl and on the he plant, itfiii'iii' up. \ule means liar equalizing he ing iii-(night into ually. The auxnwiry a i he pl'i'tl hfll li :"u i tier or stu t plane of the e t with a dzheiira :11

tomatie lat ral :uai ie employed for he the fleiuplnn ii. in math-ally 'uigir iz'sei' in tilt awoi'iiine to {i made and the llighiv .tpetu'.

arrangement were not Neil, owing to the very not o ante of inasflue n its of the :iihei ia L fi m. the shi wne ill'i i't line and balances the resultant of the forces of centrifugal force and gravity while the automatic acti n of the wings to adjust themselves to balance the pressure obtaining on either side of the maclttine will ll'lzlltt. compensation for the faster velocity of the outer wing. It is therefore possible with perfect safety to make turns of any de scriplion with the knowledge that the machine will automatically adjust itself t the exact banking tilt relguired.

.lr obvious that, various Inoditicatlous l .4 i Hltl ntll 'tl may he made in the ltltltlliti' of carryil'iu ih. various fe'eatures of this lllVtDl'l Oil into elteet.

those desxrribe-il above being given merely b way of example.

hat I claim and desire to secure by Let ters Patent is 1. An aeroplane ha vingthe two sides of its plane so constructed and provided with connecting'means that an excess of air pressure on one side will produce automatically a stabilizing action on the other site, comprising a hand control wheel, a control shaft detachably secured to the hand Whe l. gearing between the control shaft and the connecting means, and a clutch for automatically locking the shaft to the hand Wheel when the latter is rotated from its neutral position, substantially as set forth.

2. Stabilizing means for aeroplanes comprising rear stays hinged to the body of the machine, warping cords attached at one end to said stays at equal distances from the center of pressure, a chain connecting the other ends of said cords, a sprocket heel engaget'i by said chain. a control shaft. means for connecting the control sl all to the sprocket \voeels, a. hand wheel, and means for automatically locking said hand Wheel to the control. shaft when the hand wheel is turned from its neutral position.

5. An aeroplane having the two sides o1 its plane so constructed and provided with connecting means that an excess of air pressure on one side will produce automatically a stabilizing action on the other side conr prising a hand control Wheel, a shaft detachably secured to the hand Wh'eel gearing between the shaft and the connecting means means for connecting the shaft to the hand Wheel only when the latter is rotated from its neutral position.

4. In an aeroplane a cord connecting the outer ends of the plane together, a pulley over which said cord passes, a hand operated control which when at or near its midposition allows the pulley freedom to act automatically, but. when moved in either direction from the mid-position engages with and controls the said pulley.

l l i z i l l l l l l l l l l l l. in an a 'oplane a. cord connecting the outer end of the plane together, a pulley o'ter which said cord passe a tubular carrlagge to" sai-i pull v.. a spring acting to' maintain said carriage in its normal. place, a hand operated control which when at or near its mid s it on allows the pulley freed zn to act ammntt mnm, but when moved in either dir z'riion fr cupes with and c ntrols. the said pulley.

t in an aer plane. a cord connecting the outer lll lr of the plane together. a pulley i l coi passes a tubular car pull: a s cont'l sliding: car- Mill llt ltl OI position, a. hand op when at or near its alto-as the pulley freedom to a t antonnnicaily, but when moved in either tlllr=flitll from the until-position engages with and mntrole the said pulley.

T. An aeroplane ha ring a co trolling hand whe l, a column operated thereby, a double cone clutch for ecmnecting the hand wheel to the column only When the hand wheel is rotated. a universal joint for said column. and control devices for the planes. t'iperated by moving said column about its universal or rocking joint.

A n aeroplane control.niecl'ianism comprising a. cowl connecting the two outer of the plane. a pulley over which said passes, in wnubination with a hand wheel a column attached to said hand wheel. transmis. ion means intermediate the column and with-y. and means for normally holding \li'i hand wheel out of operative L'Oltl llz'tfli)" with the olumn and of auto matically looking it the cto when the handle is rotated in either direction from its mid position.

S). In a plane controlling device for aeroplanes. :1. hand wheel. a shaft fixed thereto, a, chueh device between the c J n large a cord a control shaft. hand wheel shaft. and the control shaft consisting; of a s rew thread on the hand Wheel shaft, a nut interi'ially screw-threaded to engage the screw threaded portion of the hand wheel shaft. and having a pair of opposed conical outer surfaces and a correspondingly shaped member surroundingsaid nut and connected to the control shaft, substantially as set forth In testimony whereof l have allixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

lll lllllON T. HJUJUIPON.

llitnt t:.-.x::nnr G. 1%. them; WILLJAM (lemme.

th Inltl pUSlilQll 

